The Silver Autumn and the Dog's Fang
by Kyoko Katahiro
Summary: [KibaxOC]The Inuzuka Clan's Leader was saved by two ninja during the attack of the Kyuubi. The Yaamino couple. They were KIA and now their child has found her heart in turmoil.
1. Silver Autumn

((KibaxOC Yeah I've been itching to write this for ages now. So here it is! Oh and I don't own Kiba-kun or any of the other character's besides Ginaki, so don't sue me. Also, my DA account it Kyokokatahiro so if you visit it you should find a picture of Ginaki. That's only if you'd like to, I think I explain her pretty well though. I'm sorry for any spelling errors too. I'm afraid I have no spell checker.)) 'Happy freak'in birthday to me.' thought the young chunin who wasn't too ecstatic to be spending his birthday watching his annoying cousin, Mimi. Inuzuka Kiba, and Akamaru his faithful dog companion sat under the shade of a great oak on their 15th birthday. 'Why must July 7th be the hottest day of the summer?' he thought displeased with the hot and humid weather.

"Dammit! Get away from me!" A woman's voice from the depth of the forest cried out. Kiba could smell her scent coming closer and becoming less faint. He felt as if he recognized it but couldn't put a face or name to her scent. "BAKA INU! Yamete! Yamete!" She finally came into sight, "Stupid mutt, leave me alone!" A girl about his age with fairly long black hair, and pretty blue eyes ran away from an extremely large dog. She was wearing three Konoha ninja head bands. Two were sewn together to make a strapless top and one used as a belt on a pair of dark blue pants with a net skirt and she wore one dark blue glove that started just below her shoulder and ended a bit after her knuckles. He noticed she was missing a sandal, and it was in the mouth of the dog chasing her.

"Abunai! Move out of the way!" She ran past Kiba and then jumped up into a tree. The dog followed leaping up trying to knock her from the tree. Kiba's little cousin screamed an ran behind him. "Kiba-kun!" Kiba sighed, "Mimi-chan it's alright..." Kiba whistled, and the dog turned at him. He stared down the dog challenging him. The giant dog stared him for a moment before turning back to the woods and bounding off.

"Oy! Dog woman!" Kiba called into the tree. "DON'T CALL ME DOG WOMAN!" The girl shouted angrily, she was pretty but very rude. He heard her move and then she dropped down from the tree, she strode over to him and flashed him a smile. Her teeth were sort of pointy and her smile looked more like a smirk. "Thanks so much though." She bowed to him as she spoke. "My name is Yaamino Ginaki, nice to meet you." "Likewise. I'm Inuzuka Kiba and this," he gestured to his dog "is Akamaru." His cousin peeked out from behind his legs timidly, she was clinging to this pant leg in fear. "Ah..." Ginaki pointed at Mimi a bit confused. "Oh and this is Mimi-chan my little cousin." He said sighing with slight boredom.

"Have we met before?" Ginaki asked sitting down in the grass. She moved like a boy, and wasn't very lady-like at all. Even Ino didn't compare with her attitude. "I don't think so, but you do smell familiar. Must just be because you're from Konoha." He referred to her ninja headbands. "How did you get so many?" "They're... they used to belong to my parents." She kept a concrete face as she spoke like she was holding back something. Stupidly Kiba proceeded to interrogate her.

"Used to?"

"They died fighting the Kyubi when I was little."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess they gave them to you in their will?"

"Yeah. They told me to 'wear them with pride in their memory'. A bit too sentimental for my taste but whatever..."

"So you've been alone?"

"Not alone, just not with others. My parents died defending the Inuzuka Clan Leader and asked him to take care of me if they died. He trained me and now I have a headband of my own."

She touched her ninja headband she was using as a belt.

"If you don't mind me asking, how come you weren't in the Academy? Or at least one of the groups led by Jounin?" This was the reason Kiba hadn't seen her before.

"I'm not allowed to socialize with other ninja outside my training. Sensei says I was withdrawn from the school because the Hokage was afraid there would be an accident." 'An accident? Like what?' Kiba thought puzzled.

"It's friggin' hot." Ginaki said waving her hand like she had a fan. 'Obviously this was a touchy subject, she's changing it every chance she gets.' "Well, I'll be late if I don't get going. Thanks so much Inuzuka-san," 'Formal honorifics? What's that for?' "I hope we meet again." She proceeded to stand up as she talked and left.

---------------------------------------

Kiba returned home at 5:00PM. It was nearly supper and boy was he hungry. He dropped off his cousin at his Aunt's house and his Aunt gave him a 2 small gifts. One was for Akamaru, it was a bag of dog biscuits and the other was a scroll. In it was a note and an old saying, the note read "Keep this in mind my nephew and I promise you'll find love."

"UGH. She's always trying to set me up with some girl who I hardly know." He muttered opening the scroll.

While docility and loyalty are virtues in women

To the wild soul of man

A cool autumn's wind and a smile from her

Will win his heart.

-Shodai Hokage

"Pff. I babysit all day on my birthday and get one of Aunt's bogus scrolls. 'Be thankful what you have and cherish it, for you never know when you may lose it.'" He liked that quote a lot because it applied to lots of situations but hated remembering it at times like these. He walked past the woods in which he met Ginaki earlier and then home. "I'm home!" He closed the door behind him and took off his shoes. "Took ya long enough, Kiba. They want you down at Hokage's hall." His mother smiled and walked over to him. For the first time in a long time she hugged him, "My son... whatever happens don't get too angry with Hogake-sama. It's for the best." She spoke softly and then let go of him.

As he walked through the streets he noticed people closing shop, it was getting late. He repeated the words in his head trying to make sense of them. "Why the hell would I get mad at Hokage-sama?" He muttered with his hands in his pockets. Akamaru followed quietly wagging his tail happy to be on a walk with Kiba.

Kiba casually walked through the gates and entered the conference room. Only he and Hokage-sama were there. Muffled barking and a scream came from the door he had just closed. "DEAR LORD!" the voice screamed the door flung open and Ginaki ran in. She slammed the door shut, THUMP THUMP BARK BARK BARK BARK! "What is this all about?" Asked Hokage-sama. "Don't open the-" CLICK. "-door." A dog not too much smaller than the one from before dashed into the room. Ginaki stood frozen looking horrified as the dog ran at her. "Holy fu-" "Kirei-Hana no jutsu!" the smell of flowers was overwhelming. He covered his nose and ducked down, he could see petals of flowers surrounding the dog and restraining it. The shower of flowers halted, Ginaki's eyes were closed in concentration and her fists were pressing against each other. "LEAVE." she said to the dog and opened her eyes.

All the petals around it fell, the dog persisted and ran at her baring it's teeth. She closed her eyes like she was bracing herself for the impact but as she did the flowers formed a barrier and a petal sculpture of her leaped forth. It ran with the dog and jumped under it's neck biting it's chin. The dog yipped and fell, "I'm afraid you've fallen in the ranks." She said quietly. The dog got up and started to leave through the open paper door. The petals lay covering the floor, the smell was still pretty amazing but Kiba let go of his nose trying to tolerate it.

"Well done!" Hokage-sama smiled at her laughing "Heh, hardly used any chakra for that one." She said brushing away a stray lock of hair. Kiba stared in awe.

"This is the strong woman you are betrothed too, Inuzuka Kiba."

((You like? I'm obsessed, I know."FREAK!" lol, yeah. Please please tell me how you like it! Thanks! Who woulda thought they were to be married? Not I! XD Excuse my idiocy)) 


	2. Rage and infatuation

((A/N:Thanks so much for the reviews... make that singular. --' But I'm happy to at least have one reader (and a fav! Thanks Ashen Rose! Much love, man.). I'd like to once again say, I do not own Kiba or any other characters in this fic. I only own Ginaki, the others go to their respective owner(s). Also, I'm not responsible for my spelling errors. I re-read my fics before they get submitted and don't have spell checker so the best I can do it up here. Ooh, 21 hits as of the second day it being up! Niice. La-chan... I've decided to go with my original plot line, Kazeki is too hyper and too anti-my style. No offense or anything but I will mention her.))

"WHAT?" Kiba and Ginaki said in unison. She lost all of her grace and beauty from her battle and was now just a raving idiot. "I did NOT agree to that when the Inuzuka Clan accepted me." She said attempting to keep a civil tone around the Hokage. "It was decided when you were so young, you wouldn't have understood." the voice from behind was deep and almost like a bark. Ginaki clenched her teeth together and turned around to greet the Leader of the Inuzuka Clan with an glare. He was tall, about 180 cm and wore a traditional man's kimono that was dark blue with thin white vertical stripes, had light brown hair, tan skin and looked sort of like a dog.

"I won't-" She began, "Ginaki-chan." Kiba said to her trying to calm the raging storm in her. "Don't call me '-chan' we're NOT friends." She looked at him with such hate in her eyes. Kiba smiled mischievously "Ginaki," he used no honorifics, as if they were closer than friends. "Don't question the Hokage or the Clan Leader. They made a decision accept it and move on." She tensed up and looked like she was about to dive across the room and strangle him. "Don't you dare call me... Ah, fine. You win." As she began to strode off in anger she proceeded to 'flip the bird' to the Clan Leader and Kiba. Only them though. She knew Hokage-sama had nothing to do with the actual decision.

"You should go and at least try to console her." The Clan leader smiled and patted Kiba on the back. "Go on."

Kiba walked out quietly thinking of what to say to her if she got more angry. She had probably gone home. Come to think of it, where was her home? Did she live with the Clan Leader and his family? He had adopted her when she was young. He was going to have a hard time with this one.

-  
(P.O.V- Ginaki)

I felt so much anger towards that stupid mutt, Kiba. He had the gall to speak MY name without an honorific! As if we actually knew each other like that. I gave him the same respect and kindness any normal girl would when we first met and at least TRIED to be civil. Doesn't mean we were friends does it? Not at all.

I walked- or rather ran from the Hokage's hall. I had to find a retreat, and I knew only one place where no one could find me. Deep in the forest about half a mile from where I met Kiba earlier there was a waterfall. I discovered it when I was seven and had been going there to relax, train and just be alone for years. I got to my apartment and changed into my swimsuit, a strapless tank top and shorts that ended just above my knee. Wasn't much of a change from my normal outfit except it was a different material and they were shorts not long pants. I put on my normal clothes over my swimsuit and continued to my waterfall haven. I lived alone in a small apartment not far from the memorial stone. It was much but it was better than living with my adoptive family. I hated being around people and hated even more being around people who acknowledged me as family. My only family... Well, I'm not allowed to see him. For good reasons I guess but it's still unjust. They're afraid he'll either kill me or use me against them. My Uncle...

When I was born I was the pride and joy of my parents. Or so I was told, any who. Then the Kyubi attacked out village. Konoha used all of it's ninja and all of it's firepower trying to kill the beast. My parents in their attempts to help the village were attacking the Kyubi when they saw the Inuzuka Clan Leader, my adoptive father Hige struggling to defend himself and attack. As a tail of the Kyubi swung down they shielded him when he unleashed a powerful attack weakening the Kyubi greatly, but my parents were killed by the Kyuubi's tail. He survived obviously and told me this when I was still young so I would know why I didn't look like him or my older 'sister' Kazeki (Although she was adopted as well and was the exact opposite of me). I avoided her my whole life and tried not to interact and make friends because I wasn't allowed to have them and didn't want to have the temptation. That was why the betrothal was so unexpected. I figured I'd be secluded and alone my whole life and had come to terms with that. Now things had turned around on me and I don't know what is up and what is down.

The only person I trusted is myself. No, I don't even trust me, I do stupid things. Like visiting that stupid memorial... and not lighting out of there before that Jounin came. I remember that day clearly as if it were yesterday. When it was my 12th birthday...

The rain fell to the ground making the ground mushy and the dirt into mud. I didn't cry but only stared into the black quartz memorial with my parents names engraved upon it. I didn't remember them but missed them more than anything. It would have been better if I was allowed to have friends but I had a 'condition' that made that impossible. My chakra levels were off the charts like my mother's and they were afraid I'd be challenged by another kid and accidentally kill or injure someone. So I was only to be around high ranking ninjas or adults that understood the risk. I knew he knew and I wasn't afraid of him. When I heard him approach I didn't flinch but dug my nails into my skin and bit my lip. It was hard not to cry but I had managed to never do so not even when I was little. They thought something was wrong with me at first but I never cried and appeared to be fine so they left it be.

He didn't have Icha Icha Paradaisu with him. His hands were in his pockets and he had his usual posture, leaning back a little like he was high. He stared along with me at the memorial. "Little Ginaki-chan. I understand it's your birthday. And the day Hikuma and Ishikaeru were..." he fell silent and put his index finger over my parents names:

Yaamino Hikuma Yaamino Ishikaeru

"I bet you miss them." He said softly almost in a whisper and put one hand on my head. "Your parents were good people. They were confident you would be a good person too, and a powerful ninja. I see you respect their wishes and wear their headbands." I wore them as a tank top then too but they weren't tailored like they are now just tied with a black top under that. "Your father was a good friend of mine. He wouldn't stop talking about you and showing me pictures of you. It was a bit of a pai-" He caught himself. "It was... funny. But in the good way." He smiled. I looked up at him. He still towers over me. But it was worse then because I was really short.

"I- I don't miss them. I'm here purely out of habit. I hate them." I said. I didn't hate them, I wanted to cry but I couldn't. "Crying doesn't show weakness. It shows the strength to overcome. Remember that." I did the stupidest thing I've ever done then. I cried. I let myself become overwhelmed with a useless emotion. Kakashi-sensei... he was the only person who had ever seen me cry. He understood what it was to lose everything because he had lost almost everyone he knew and loved. I cried forever it seemed. But when the rain stopped my tears stopped. He was- he is my mentor. He is the only one I trust, and he is my father in spirit. Not Hige-san. It will never be Hige-san.

-  
Ginaki had already walked from her apartment to the waterfall. She figured out about halfway there that the dog boy Kiba had been following her since she reached the outskirts of the forest. She didn't care, she dived into the water which was 20 feet at it's deepest point and came up for air. She came up for air and didn't gasp but breathed in slowly. This was her time to clear her mind. Under the light of the moon and stars in her beautiful sanctuary. The sound of the waterfall rushing and the water escaping into the underground river calmed her raging anger and gave her composure. She swam to the edge of the water and lifted herself up onto one of the smooth rocks surrounding the pool. She laughed as she heard a small "Holy shit." from the other side of the lake and the sound of a hand quickly covering a nose. "Nosebleed, Kiba-kun?" She said rather loudly intending him to hear her. She felt her heart flutter a little, she had used -kun by accident.

He stepped out from behind the large tree he concealed himself behind. He was covering this nose and there was some blood dripping from his hand. She sighed and looked up at the moon, if she made eye contact she might say something stupid in her panic. "I'm sorry I was being such a bitch earlier. I'm so used to being ignored and looked over I've become fond of being alone. I guess I thought it was being threatened and I didn't want that. I don't want to marry you, but if I have to I think I can grow to like you." She said quietly. She swung her feet in the water making little waves run into others. Kiba wiped his nose and was still a little bloody. "There's a towel in the cave, go wipe your nose before you bleed all over the beautiful grass." She gestured over to the cave behind the waterfall.

"Thanks." He said quietly fetching the towel. "I'm sorry I was rude and basically told you to get over our betrothal. It sucks I know but arguing wasn't going to change the circumstances." He said sitting down on the rock next to her. "This is madness. I heard you were the loud rude one of Team 8 and you're apologizing?" She laughed. "I think you're the only person I've actually been nice to besides Perinatal-chan." He said smiling and looking at the moon with her.

"So what's with you and dog's always freaking out on you?" "You shouldn't ask such personal questions so openly. It makes you seem nosy if you'll excuse my pun. I... had a bad experience with dogs." "Does it have to do with why you weren't in the academy?" "Yeah." "Well, tell me. We have to at least try to know each other"  
"If I tell you will you tell me something about you"  
"Sure. Why not"  
"It has to be something embarrassing like mine is"  
"eh, fine"  
"Alright. Well when I was little Hige-san... I mean The Clan Leader gave me a puppy to symbolize I was one of them now. I had it for a while and took care of it. It was the only thing I ever showed emotion towards and cared for. But every time I tried to do something nice and make friends the dog always ruined it. Biting them, tearing up the present I made for them, whatever... I got so angry every time and I just wanted to kill that stupid mutt. But I kept myself from doing so and disciplined it by putting it in a cage for the night instead of letting it sleep in my bed. But it did it one last time and I got so angry"  
"What did you do"  
"I don't know. I told it 'no bad dog' and then it started whimpering and backing up. These other dogs came out of the woods we were near and then it just... It started bleeding. I didn't touch it, and it just started screaming and bleeding from everywhere. The eyes, ears, mouth... All I could do was stare and that's when the dog's started attacking me. But they all died too. Just like the puppy and I didn't do anything. I just stared in horror. That's why I'm not allowed to have friends because they think I'm going to accidentally do that to someone."

Kiba couldn't comprehend what she had just said. He loved dogs and couldn't even begin to think about losing Akamaru. He was silent for a couple minutes. "I understand if you don't want to know me anymore. I don't open up because this is what happens." She said with guilt dripping from her voice. "No. I'm glad I know." He stood up. 'This is it,' Ginaki thought 'he's going to leave and hate me.' "It was unintentional"  
-  
'Ginaki... She's so beautiful when she's sad but even more when she's happy. I want to see her like that, I want to make her forget that she has these demons. I want to save her... She's just like me. She's loud and rude on the outside but quiet and scarred on the inside.' Kiba thought. He put his arms around her, she needed someone to hang onto. She closed her eyes, putting a hand on his arm.

I want to remember this moment forever.

((A/N:Awww, it got fluffy at the end. I did intend that too. La-chan, Kazeki is in there so rejoice. KibaxGinaki!Awww it's cute. I'm sorry if the point of views get a little screwy. I'm trying my best here. By the way I have some name-ology for you all:  
Ginaki means 'silver autumn'. Gin is silver and Aki means autumn.  
Kiba means 'Fang'  
Hige means 'whisker'  
Hikuma means 'Fire bear'. Hi is fire and Kuma is bear.  
Ishikaeru means 'stone frog'. Ishi means stone and Kaeru means frog.

Kazeki is Ryoki-chan's character. As she says "Where autumn goes wind follows." But what the fruit does she mean when she makes the name mean "Wind tree"? I think she just added the 'ki' to make it seem like a name. Kaze is fine as a name La-chan. But whatever. I'm SURE it wasn't intentional when she put 'ki' on the end for it to mean tree/wood. I'll say it for you La-chan, "Well, that like me anyway because I'm all WIND WIND! TREES TREES!" I KNOW that's what you'd say Ryoki-chan. I KNOW. 'Cause I got those psychic powers.)) 


	3. Leaving Konoha

((Blah blah blah I don't own shit, Ginaki is my OC so I own her. Also, from now on it'll have some major spoilers in this puppy if you are only keeping track of the Naruto's shown on Cartoon Network (for all of us cable lovin'-Americans). So beware.))

"Let sleeping dogs lie." He heard Ginaki's voice whisper to him. He opened one eye and smiled. "Mornin'." She said quietly standing up and stretching. They had fallen asleep by the waterfall, Kiba found himself propped up against a tree, Ginaki had been lying next to him leaned against him. Her hair was askew and messy to no end, how could she stand to have that much hair?

Kiba yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Where's your mutt?" Ginaki asked cracking her knuckles. "Akamaru? I dropped him off at home before coming to get you. I figured since you had such bad luck with dogs it wouldn't help having one around." He stood up and shook like a dog did when it was wet. He saw the look on her face, a confused and slightly creeped out look. "What?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "OK then. Don't get me wrong, I hate that stupid mutt but, you're completely defenseless. He's your best bet on living when it comes to fighting and you left him at home?" She pointed her index finger at him and put on hand on her hip giving him a disapproving glance. "Not the sharpest kunai in the bag, are you?" She rolled her eyes as she lectured him.

"I guess you're right." He clasped his hands behind his head and laughed, "Well, we should be heading back. You're mum has GOT to be having a fit right now. I mean since you left the dog home and you haven't turned up yet." She put her normal clothes over her swimsuit which she was still wearing. She pulled a note out of one the headbands, "Ha, you'd have a fit too if you knew what was going on right now, neh?" she said absent mindedly to the note. "What's that?" Kiba asked looking over her shoulders and at the note. He jumped back when he saw what it said. "Orochi- WHAT THE HELL? NIECE!" He shouted gasping for air. "Hm? Heh, right... I forgot he's sort of a traitor." She smiled and grabbed her bag, they began to walk back to the village and she read the note to him.

I expect you to take care of my niece, Hikuma.

-Orochimaru

"He can't REALLY be your uncle can he?" Kiba said in seriously denial. "He'll kill me!" "Well, has he tried to yet?" She asked putting the note back behind the metal part of her headband. "Well, yeah. Some ninja from the sound village named Sakon did." She smiled when she heard this. "You're kidding! What luck!" She laughed to herself and threw her hands in the air. "WHY THE HELL IS THAT A GOOD THING!" Kiba yelled, "Well, he failed to didn't he? So he'll approve and you won't have to go through that again." She stated putting her hands in her pockets casually. "Have you ever even met him?" Kiba was pretty skeptical at this point in time. "No, not really. I've heard a lot about him and once or twice talked to one of his ninja but it was more or less vague. They said he yells a lot and seems pretty pissed when someone mentions that he has failed to 'rescue' me from Konoha a couple years back." 'She talks about him like he's a hero, does she even know he's well... evil?' thought Kiba, Ginaki launched into 'prove her point' mode. "I understand he's killed a lot of people and is pretty self absorbed but that's really not my problem. He's still family, ya know? I mean, I'm sure lots of kids who have ninja as relatives are aware at one time or another that their relative has killed someone on a mission."

That was true, but it made no difference. He was an enemy of the village, and she was still allowed here? Guess she's better off here than there though. All of the signs of "YOU DON'T BELONG WITH HER!" were flashing in his head but he had to be. He wanted to be. She hates dogs (for an obvious and rational reason, that is), she's related to a mass murderer and enemy of the country, and finally she was stronger than him. Like every other guy he wanted a girl that was sweet, a bit quiet and at least a little dependent on him. A woman who could stand on her own wasn't too attractive in their society.

Ginaki was quiet of course but she was naturally like that, she was sweet at times but when pissed off Kiba would rather be dealing with Sakon and Ukon. 'Feh, I'll just keep my mind off it.' Kiba thought as they exited the woods.

"Well, see you around, I have to get home. I have some unfinished business"  
"Like what"  
"An overdue poem waiting to be written"  
"You write"  
"Yeah I write. I'd invite you over for a while but... It's sort of a writer's messy domain"  
"S'Okay. I have to get home anyway."

'I know we'll be torn apart by a ninja mission. I'm leaving in a week and we are actually passing by the Oto no Kuni(Land of Sound). She doesn't need to know, it'd just be useless stress on both of us. It had only been yesterday that we met and now I was talking as if we've know each other for months. It's sad...' He shook his head and walked past the houses that were neighboring his own. He opened the door, it was unlocked so that had to mean someone was home.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!" 'Ugh... I knew this was coming'  
-  
A week later I hadn't really talked to Ginaki. Once or twice we saw each other on the street and she had smiled and waved. She was headed towards the memorial and had flowers in her hands. I assumed she was going to visit it and place flowers there for her parents. Kakashi wasn't far behind... I wonder if they know each other, I imagine he knew her parents.

We're leaving at daylight tomorrow and aren't expected to come back for a while. The mission is to take a merchant past the Oto no Kuni and to a sea port near there. It's ranked a B mission because of the possibility that Sound Ninja may interfere. I was asked not to tell Ginaki because of her relation to Orochimaru.  
-------------------------------------

Kiba left his house with Akamaru when it was still dark out. He planned to leave Ginaki an apology gift at her doorstep so she wouldn't be too mad at him when he got back. Hinata had suggested it, and he listened. Since she was a girl she would know how Ginaki would react. What was he going to give her? A silver necklace with a dog paw charm was in a little wooden jewelry box with the kanji for "Inuzuka" and the katakana for "Ginaki" carved on the lid was placed carefully inside a gift box and wrapped in red paper, finally topped off with a note under the green bow that read "I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly, I'll be back soon. Don't worry. -Kiba". He had gotten a letter from her a couple days ago so he knew her address, but where she lived wasn't exactly the best part of town so he couldn't slack off and be un alert.

He looked up at the window of her second story apartment. The curtains were open just enough for him to see papers pined to the walls covered in writing and messily assembled. He picked up a little piece of gravel and tossed the pebble at her window.

KLACK. KLACK. KLACK.

The light in her room turned on and he saw a shadow approaching the window. She lifted the window open and stared out, squinting. "Kiba?" She blinked looking confused and tired. He held up the gift and pointed over at the door. "Hold on..." She said and closed her window again racing out of her room.

Kiba placed the gift on her doorstep and ran into the woods. He decided to take a short cut through them. He wanted to see the look on her face when she opened it but would have to sacrifice it for getting to his mission on time. The sun's light was beginning to lighten the woods enough so he could see where he was going. He and Akamaru arrived just in time, Hinata had appeared as well. She looked disgruntled and tired, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Well let's go." Kurenai-sensei said. The merchant they were escorting was a short middle-aged guy with barely any hair and wasn't skinny or in-shape at all. He looked like an older Chouji.

They walked almost all day and finally at 12pm they got to stop for lunch. He heard in the breeze the sound of metal hitting metal. It was a small 'clink' noise and was barely recognizable. Akamaru's ears perked up, they both turned and looked up into the same oak tree. "Kuso..." said a whispered voice. The voice was a familiar one, "Who the hell-!" Hinata and Shino stood up and Kurenai-sensei just looked on. "Oy! Get down here, you fool." Kiba shouted and walked under the tree.

"Stupid breeze"  
"C'mon, I don't have all day"  
"Shut up, Kiba... I'm coming. I'm not too good at climbing down trees but climbing up I can do"  
SNAP!  
"Holy crap!"

WUMPH!  
Kiba caught Ginaki as she plummeted from the tree. She was wearing the necklace he had given her earlier, and that had hit her headband top and made the clinking noise. "Yaamino Ginaki! What is she doing here?" Kurenai-sensei seemed a little too worried for this to be normal. "Whoa, people actually know my na- Oh. You're a Jounin... You would." Ginaki sounded disappointed. Kiba set her down she had something in her hands. "What are you doing here? Hokage-sama is going to be so angry with you... and with me!" Kurenai-sensei stamped her foot.

"I'm sorry, it's just"  
"(sigh) Don't worry about it. What's done is done. We have to move on, do you have any weapons"  
"My usual stuff, yeah"  
"Good you can help."

They walked for another 6 hours and finally rested. "It's getting dark. We should stop for the night, we aren't too close to the Sound Country so we should be fine." Kurenai-sensei said leaning against a tree. Ginaki had distanced herself from Kiba again, she was acting pretty strange. But then again.. maybe not. They were going to be married, yes, but she may not want anyone to see her emotions as a weakness. It was useless trying to figure her out because every time he thought he had he would be completely wrong.  
-  
The stars were so bright outside of the village... They were so beautiful and pure. Ginaki curled up by herself under a tree hugging her knees and looking up through the branches. Kiba was keeping a close watch on her even now. Why was he so worried? She felt more alone than together with him now that she had come along. Why was this? Her head filled with doubt and questions. Only hours ago had she been talking and laughing with her comrades and now this. This feeling of being in a cage. 'He's watching so I don't leave. So I don't go find Orochimaru.' She grasped her stomach just above her naval. It was painful every time she felt anger towards him, and every time she felt sadness for anyone. It was only slight before but now it was like a dagger through her twisting and turning cutting her skin deeper and deeper. She gasped and heard Kiba lift up his head and felt his eyes staring at her from behind her.

"Ginaki..." She had made him transform again, from the bully loudmouth to his true self. He jumped down from the tree he had rested idly in and walked over to her, holding out his hand. "Wanna go for a walk?" he asked smiling. "Dammit Kiba, why do you have to be so perfect?" the pain began to subside and she flashed a smile back at him taking his hand. He pulled her up and kept his hand holding hers, she was sick of walking but this one was better than her last 6 hour stealth 6 hour walk. She smiled and looked away blushing pink.

Was she really falling for this act? 'UGH! Get your head together!' she scolded herself using her right hand to flick herself in the forehead. 'Holy crap I missed!' she covered her right eye and gritted her teeth. "What? Am I so repulsive that you're trying to blind yourself?" Kiba joked. "No no. I'm just stupid..." She laughed. "So what's wrong then? Now that you've relaxed a bit." He asked.  
"Nothing. I was just thinking about something." 'Just lie through your teeth, Ginaki. He'll believe you if you just lie like you're a pro'  
"You're a terrible liar"  
"So I'm told." She shook her head in defeat.  
"It's ok if you don't want to tell me. You got the rest of our lives to tell me"  
Ginaki froze completely. 'Lord in heaven did that just happen! No, no way. I'm sleeping. I'll wake up soon and Kiba will be yelling at me that I sleep too much. Yeah that's it.' she thought still in shock.  
Kiba had just kissed her.  
-  
'WHAT THE HELL POSSESSED ME TO DO THAT!' Kiba kept a straight face as his mind was going insane. He drew back and smiled warmly. 'There goes my chances with getting her to think I'm not really forward. Someone strike me down now. Please just kill me.' Kiba let go of her hand and began to walk back to his tree. They had made a complete circle. "Try not to worry too much. I'll protect you." he said 'AGAIN WITH THE ON IMPULSE NICENESS!' He was ready to punch himself in the face. He sighed and lay on the branch. 'Well, isn't this comfy.' He said imagining himself slamming his head against the trunk.  
-  
The next morning they ate and then walked some more. Kiba and Ginaki sighed in unison after their short rest and said "There ain't much I wouldn't do for some other form of transportation besides WALKING.". Hinata laughed and Shino... well he acknowledged that they were talking. He was very quiet around Ginaki for some reason. It made her a bit nervous.  
---------------------------------------

"Well well well. What have we here"  
A voice boomed from the trees. Ginaki whipped out a kunai knife and held it at the ready. Kiba looked down at Akamaru, "Are ya ready?" he whispered, Akamaru barked and sniffed the air. "We're surrounded." Shino said pushing his glasses up his nose. Kiba and Ginaki looked at each other and once more spoke together:

"Shit."

((BWUAHAHHAHAHAAA! Make sure you check out Ryoki-chan (Kibou-Greenbird)'s fan fiction: Guardian Angel Greed!. It's the shit. Also... DOUBLE CHAPTER IT UP! Read on my Orochimaru fans. READ ON.)) 


	4. Orochimaru

((Oh, Gawd. I'm hyped up on Naruto music and ready to write. I don't own my beloved Kiba nor do I own any other characters besides Ginaki. I DO own Ginaki so hands off. Bizitches. Yay for cold-hearted snakes! Not so tough now are you Oro-kun? Also, there are SPOILERS in this chapter. So turn back now if you don't want to find out them.))

"Three children, a woman and a merchant traveling through our forest. How convenient. Let's see what to do. Torture then kill, or just kill on the spot... Choices choices." The cruel voice said and others began to murmur. "We aren't surrounded. It's just an illusion... I would have expected better from people who've actually battled one of these ninja before." Ginaki said tossing a kunai into a tree. blood dripped from a branch onto the grass staining it red. "Next one is going for your head Echo." She said twirling a kunai on her index finger by the loop. "You bitch." A man fell from the tree and landed in a slumped mess.

Kurenai smiled, "You're good." she said to Ginaki and then glaring at her students. "Why aren't you like her?" particularly aiming this comment at Kiba. "Bleh, gimme a break. All she does is train all day... She's the exact opposite of Shikamaru. A workaholic with an attitude: the worst personality." He shut up as he looked over at Ginaki who was furiously glaring at him shaking a fist. "That's not how I saw it last night. Kiba, you dog." Shino's expression eased up and he actually joked. "Sh-shut the hell up!" Kiba yelled back. "ARGH! You were spying!" Ginaki said clutching her head angrily. She straightened up and made a fist "If you tell anyone I swear to God..." "Don't threaten Shino-kun, Ginaki-chan!" Hinata had joined in.

((A/N: Cue up the 'It's the training' theme for that paragraph!))

"Anyone want to pay attention to the enemy?" Kurenai yelled looking at the man who was just as dumb founded as her. "So much for the bad ass approach." He stated and rolled over on his back. "What are you doing here anyway? And who are you?" Kurenai said being kinder than usual as her students and Ginaki bickered. "I am Koumori and I'm here," he sat up and shot his hand to her neck gripping it in an attempt to choke her to death. "to kill you." Ginaki wheeled around and threw a kunai. He deflected it and stood up with Kurenai. He took Ginaki's kunai and held it to Kurenai's neck. "Bad move on your part." He said.

Everyone stopped moving and stared. 'Will she do something? Or stand there dumb-founded and let that woman be killed? If she does attack she'll kill him for sure. That monster is completely under her control I'm sure'  
Ginaki moved her hands in the hand symbols that Kiba hadn't seen before.  
"Kanashibari no"  
"Yamete!" A loud deep voice from the depths of the forest shouted. "Don't go killing any my ninja. I doubt he could withstand any of your attacks."

Kurenai's eyes widened. "O-Orochi"  
Out of the shadows he walked looking quite intimidating to everyone...except Ginaki. He smiled a strange threatening smirk, "Hello, my little niece"  
Ginaki's eyes lit up like a child's did on their birthday as they gazed over the gifts.  
She bowed and she had a smile a mile wide on. "Otokage-sama, excuse me for causing so much trouble."

Kiba frowned. "WHAT THE HELL? Ginaki what are you doing?" Ginaki turned to him with a surprised and angry face, "Greeting my uncle what do you think I'm doing"  
"Well first of all he's NOT a kage; he just dubbed himself one and two, he killed Sarutobi Hokage! He's our enemy!" The intense anger in his voice and his expressions scared Ginaki.  
Everyone looked on and waited for her response.  
'What will you do, little niece? Who are your allies and who are you enemies?'

"I'm sorry...Kiba"  
'Giving into guilt? Weakness from her father'  
"Orochimaru"  
'No honorifics'  
"This is my fiance, Inuzuka Kiba"  
'WHAT'  
-  
"WHAT!" Orochimaru looked paler than usual. Ginaki smirked, "By arranged marriage but nonetheless"  
"I'll kill him!" Orochimaru lunged at Kiba. "Oh, no you won't." Ginaki stepped in front of Kiba. She looked back at him and laughed. He looked so terrified and it was pretty funny.  
"I'm taking no one's side but my own." She said, and frowned. "I was blamed for the death of the Hokage in the Village. No one talked to me for a week and that was the week I was denied any genin to look after. It was because I was your niece, Orochimaru"  
"You're a jounin?" He asked a little surprised "I have been for a while"  
Kiba stared at her. "A jounin!" he said raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, you didn't know?" She replied "Uh, no. I thought you were a chunin..." He was embarrassed to be a rank lower than her, she looked to weak to be a jounin.  
"Are you coming back to the the Village Hidden in the Sound or not?" Orochimaru interrupted their confused fighting.  
"Well, no. When did I say I was going to do that"  
"Hurry up and say goodbye." he stated and began to walk back into the shadows.  
"Hey! Stop! I'm not going with you. I have to get this guy to his destination and then go home. I haven't got the"  
Orochimaru glanced at Kurenai, "You'll come with me or she'll die. You won't have time to react. Don't call Konoha your home. Oto no Kuni is your home." She looked at Kiba with a worried expression. "I'm sorry Kiba. I have to go." She said sadly. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back when she began to walk away. "Don't. You give up to easily." She smiled weakly, "I know." She winked at him and walked with Orochimaru away from him. Kurenai was let go and the ninja disappeared with them.  
-  
After they returned to Konoha he found himself avoiding places. That patch of woods, the memorial, the road her house was on... Everywhere he had memories of her. It was depressing when they had walked through the woods. Even though he tried to stay away from the places, August first rolled around and he realized while walking with Akamaru that he was on the street where her apartment was. He expected it to be lonely and abandoned. He passed it he saw nothing, just a dark window.

KLACK.  
"Ow, shit. What the hell was that?" He gripped the back of his head, someone had thrown a piece of gravel at him. He turned around and saw.  
"GINAKI"  
She stood there with her right hand of her hip and she was tossing a piece of gravel up and catching it in her left hand. She smiled "Hey, dog boy. Wassup?" 'Am I dreaming?' "You're back"  
"I have been for a while now. Orochimaru doesn't know yet though. I left a clone behind but he'll figure out soon so I can't stay too long." She dropped the piece of gravel and looked at the ground her hair covered both her eyes now. "I-I-" The sky that had been gray to begin with opened up and rain poured. It fitted the mood pretty well, the rain slid down her face...or was it tears? She looked up at him, her eyes were red and puffy, they were tears. She ran to him and hugged him. It'd been 2 weeks since they had seen each other and in both their minds they had thought they'd never see each other again. They stood there in the rain for a while, just letting it fall on them and soak them to the bone. It was an atonement with the situation, it was their way of dealing with it.

"I need to leave. He'll come after me, and he might end up killing a lot of people"  
"I'll go with you. We may as well suffer together rather than apart"  
She laughed through her tears "This is so stupid. It's been two weeks and we act like it was two years"  
"Let me get my stuff and we'll go"  
---------------------------------------

((A/N Kyoko: Whoa who knew it'd go like that? The monster inside Ginaki? What are you SAYING Orochimaru? You're hinting too much to the readers! punt)) 


	5. Ginryuu

((Written in a sort of sad mood, I don't own Naruto and I apologize for any spelling mistakes. Thanks for all the reviews and 291 hits!))

"Yaamino Ginaki has returned, Otokage-sama." The young sound nin bowed and opened the sliding paper door. Ginaki looked as defiant as ever in her usual stance of her hands placed on her hips and her head turned slightly to the side. He could see a bit of her gold eye peeking through her thick black hair.

"Orochimaru!" She tossed her head as she spoke. "You've returned... and with that mutt too." Orochimaru smirked and stood up. He had been sitting in a tea room at a table with a map of the sound country on it, there were red marks in many areas and blue in a few just around the minor villages. Ginaki stared at Orochimaru angrily. "You're all the same, you and Hokage-sama. You didn't let me leave." Intense anger and fear were clear as day in her eyes. She was scared of him still but was standing her ground. 'Just like her mother'  
"Yet, you still did. Jounin's from this village didn't detect your leaving to bring that mutt with you. I'm proud your training is paying off." He saw the look on Kiba's face as the word training left Orochimaru's mouth. 'He didn't know... How cute, she doesn't trust him.'

"Don't call him a mutt"  
"Are you going to stand there all day arguing or will I get the chance to finish teaching you"  
"For a sound ninja you don't listen too well"  
"Oh? How is that so"  
"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to"  
"What, are you saying you've already told me"  
"You change when you're in front of other people. Take off that stupid mask. I'll be back tomorrow for training"  
"Is that all you wanted to say"  
She turned and left, slamming the paper door shut. Nice way to handle the situation.

Orochimaru sighed and sat down, "Ginaki... You fool"  
-  
I remember...

When this dream turns to reality When I hear the song I've longed to hear

Ginaki reached into her pocket and pulled out a ring of keys. She fumbled through a couple and finally picked out a silver one and unlocked the door with it. "This is my room here. I know it's sort of a mess still. But two weeks of training has stressed me out a bit and I'm not much of a housework type." She gazed over the mess that was her 3 room apartment. "At least it's less of a mess than my Konoha place." Kiba raised an eyebrow, it was a completely clean place. True, there were a lot of folders and papers shoved into corners and the kitchen had some clean dishes left out but besides that the place was nice.

"Make yourself at home. If you want anything to eat there's food in the cupboards to left and in the fridge. I can't guarantee the food in the fridge though... It's been a couple of days since I've been here." She walked into her own room and closed the door.  
-  
Kiba woke up, it was still dark out. He had fallen asleep on the couch with Akamaru curled up next to him. Ginaki walked out of her room already in day clothes and began to peel an orange. After getting all of the skin off she flipped on her little television and sat down on the floor leaning against the couch. "Morn'in." She said glancing at him and handing him a slice of the orange. "I have to leave soon, I have training. I'll be back by four to start dinner." Her house smelled like flowers, like it did when she had used Kirei Hana no Jutsu. She stood up and handed him the remote. "About time for me to be heading out. See ya later." She smiled and pocketed her keys. After she had left there was really nothing to do. For about a half an hour Kiba watched TV. The sunlight began to peak through her orange curtains and it was calming. He noticed a paper under the couch with some poetry written on it. He picked it up and read it:

Silver Autumn never offered her heart to anyone But had it stolen by the Dog's Fang When he walks, her heart beats faster Her face becomes flushed She can't breathe Nothing matters but them But then they drift Silver Autumn becomes dull Grey Winter And her heart breaks like frayed rope Silver Autumn who misses the Dog's Fang Only wishes for him to steal her heart once more.

It started to rain. 'Must have been when she was here alone. I guess she wasn't too thorough about cleaning up.' Akamaru sighed and licked his lips. 'He's hungry... Me too.' Kiba sat up and placed the scrap of paper on the arm of the couch. He wandered around her little apartment for a while forgetting what he was doing. He eventually made it to the kitchen and poured himself some cereal. He looked around the room for something for Akamaru. There wasn't enough materials to make his dog food. He found some dry dog food in a top cupboard and pulled it down checking the brand. "This'll have to do. She thought ahead for once." He poured some dog food into a bowl and put it on the floor for Akamaru.

After eating breakfast he sat around and stared at the ceiling. "Wonder what she's doing"  
-  
"Good. Focus your chakra to your hands when you do this, it'll help"  
Orochimaru began to form hand signs as Ginaki watched carefully copying him best she could.  
They stood in a courtyard, with 3 cement walls and one paper door leading to the hallways of the building. It was sprinkling rain and Ginaki's hair began to poof a little from the rain. She tried not to focus on her appearance too much as she was supposed to be concentrating. It wasn't dull training it was just tedious. She pulled all her chakra to her hands and finished her hand signs.

"What animal do you feel represents you most"  
Orochimaru had started the training out like this. "Well... Oh, I don't know." Animals never really liked her much so she could never become attached to one too much. "You don't know? What's your favorite mythical beast? A Phoenix? Dragon-?" Ginaki took off her shoes and sat down next to him on the walkway.

"A dragon. Definitely." "Why"  
"Because they're intelligent, fierce, clever, and awesome. They are said to have magical abilities that surpass other beings too"  
"Hmph. Figures"  
"Hmm"  
"Nothing. We're going to practice summoning your spirit creature today"  
"But... We've tried that and I couldn't. I don't think I have the ability for that"  
"Don't be foolish. It runs in the family, of course you have the ability. There is no one in our bloodline that hasn't been able to. Even the ones who weren't training as ninja could. You just haven't practiced enough"  
"Yeah yeah. I've heard it all before."

"Focus on a dragon. Think of all of it's positive aspects and negative aspects that you want to incorporate into yours"  
She closed her eyes and visualized it. Strong, and smart but also beautiful and kind. Can dragons be kind? Or... are they only malicious?

Rising from the ground she felt her feet under her begin to shake. A dragon rose, one that was half her size. She opened one eye and gazed over the chakra animal. It wrapped around her leg like a snake would, and moved like on too. She smiled and felt relieved that she had finally made a dragon appear. What was to happen next she didn't expect... It opened it's small mouth and big into her shin. Like a flame running through her veins she felt a stabbing pain. Her eyes widened, and a voice not her own echoed in her mind. "I'll take over from here." It was deep and raspy, with a hint of malice.

'This isn't normal. I can feel my blood draining from the wound. I can't control my actions. This isn't normal'  
-  
'She's released Ginryuu. finally she can understand the extent of her power.' Orochimaru watched as the dragon bit into her leg. The blood stained her white bandages. Markings just above her naval began to show up. The white symbols for yin and yang glowed and her skin began to be consumed by a shadow. Her skin turned black, and her normally blue eye changed into an eye like her right one. Like a dragon's eye, gold with a slit pupil.

She wasn't keeping control like he though she would. She was losing the battle to Ginryuu and letting it take over. The ground around her began to break and chunks of earth were suspended in mid air. Fear had finally begin to consume Orochimaru as he watched. She acknowledged this and thrust a hand out, her arm grew and pinned him against a cement wall gripping his neck tightly. 'This is unreal.'

"Ginaki! Take back control!" He yelled gasping for air. She tilted her head to the side. Both of her eyes were showing now and they looked demonic now. 'It has possessed her.' "Ginryuu... Wait until her strength has increased. Lay dormant for now"  
He dug his nails into her arm trying to get free from her.  
-  
Ginaki gasped. Her skin returned to it's golden brown color and the dragon gnawing at her leg disappeared. Numbness left her body and shots of pain ran up her leg. Collapsing to the ground she let go of Orochimaru. Consciousness began to leave her as well, and she drifted into darkness.  
--------------------------------------------

4PM hit and Ginaki was nowhere to be found. She was usually a bit late.

4:30... Still not home.

5:00 Where was she?

5:16 The door clicked open. Ginaki dragged herself in, bruised battered and with her left leg bandaged. She smiled threw herself on the couch.

5:17 She falls asleep. Obviously exhausted. Something I hadn't realized before came to mind. "How the hell can Orochimaru teach her when he doesn't have the ability to move his arms anymore"  
--------------------------------------------

Orochimaru sat quietly in his room, it was evening already and the only light he had was a candle placed on his bed stand. His arms were going numb again. "Heh, damn it. She's pretty strong. Almost killed me earlier... She weakened my arms, she took the power I had left in them. Kuso"  
-  
((Update next week. Sorry it took me so long. I don't have the time to write too much during the week. is about to cry I'm watching the 80th episode of Naruto and it's so sad. Even though I hated that damn Hokage it's still sad. Poor Orochimaru losing his ability to move his arms. The reason he can move them now? You'll see... bawls her eyes out Damn it...)) 


	6. No Reply

((A/N: Gimme an A! 'A!' Gimme an N! 'N!' Gimme a G! 'G!' Gimme an S! 'S!' Gimme a T! 'T!' WHAT DOES IT SPELL! 'ANGST!' Yup. I don't own 'No reply', it was composed by Yoko Kanno, sung by Steve Conte and featured on Cowboy Bebop-Future Blues OST. I also don't own the line from Modest mouse's 'The View'. Don't sue bitches. I don't own any Naruto characters either except Ginaki. . Sorry it took so long to update, 4 day weekends make me lazy and last weekend I was over a certain Greenbird's house sleeping over, watching Corpse Bride, playing Sims and talking about stupid shit.))

'Pain. Without it, humans would disregard any harm done to them. It is a necessary feeling and is more important than one cares to believe'  
'If life's not beautiful without the pain, well than I'd rather never even see beauty again.'

'I have the power to destroy and to create. I hold this power in my hands with great pride and great sorrow'  
I've been having these... scattered memories. Some are good and some are bad. I'm afraid I've come to a turning point. I'm afraid.  
---------------------------------------------

Kiba woke up. He had fallen asleep on the floor next to the couch. Ginaki was more injured than he had thought. She was really scratched up and her one leg had bled a lot. She opened one eye and smiled as she gazed upon him. She silently mouthed his name, afraid to break the silence. She winced as she tried to move. Kiba wondered, what had happened to her.  
But that doesn't matter. What does is that Orochimaru had probably been responsible for her state.  
--------------------------------------------

Ginaki smiled at Kiba and thought 'Something was set loose yesterday. Ginryuu was set free.' and she knew that she had to become stronger to keep that monster inside her. She had to send him away, she had to leave Kiba in order to keep her grip on Ginryuu's power.  
Later that day after they had both decided to get up she began to feel the pressure of time against her heart. He had to leave today or else something could happen.

"Kiba... We should go back to Konoha for a while"  
"Not while you're still hurt. Here, lemme get that-" He handed her a bowl that was on the top shelf of the cabinet.  
"I'm fine, really. I just got a little scratched up during practice"  
"You soaked the bottom half of the couch with blood from your leg wound. You're NOT fine"  
"It's not soaked it's just damp"  
"It leaked onto the floor. That's not damp"  
"Well then can you go and I'll follow after I heal"  
"Are you trying to get rid of me"  
"N-n-no! Never! I'm worried about you"  
"If I leave, I feel like you'll do something reckless and get hurt even worse."

She sat down at the table after preparing her late breakfast at 12:30 in the afternoon. Kiba fed Akamaru and then joined her at the table.  
"I should be the one worrying about you. If you want me to leave then I will but I want you to come back to Konoha soon. Spending so much time with Orochimaru might"  
He stopped in the middle of his sentence.  
"Might what"  
He didn't approve. Just like everyone else. '….I've come to a turning point'  
"What happened yesterday that hurt you. What really happened? Normal training... It doesn't get you hurt that badly. Your wounds are healing really fast too, that's not normal either. Orochimaru did it didn't he"  
"Kiba you don't underst"  
"That bastard hurt you… Didn't he"  
'Why is he acting like this? Why is he'  
"NO! I did this! DON'T YOU DARE INSULT HIM"  
"Gimme a break. I'm sick of this secrecy! Just what is he teaching you that making you so-so-so COLD HEARTED"  
"Is that what you've been holding back? Is that what you've wanted to tell me all this time, Kiba"  
"Shut up. It's more complicated than that"  
"BULLSHIT! It's not. You don't approve of him, you don't approve of my family! THE ONLY FAMILY I HAVE LEFT"  
She slammed her hand on the table and stood up only to fall back down into the chair from the pain in her leg. Kiba stood up and looked at her with anger in his eyes.  
"I HATE HIM! HE'S TURNING YOU INTO A MONSTER"  
Ginaki's eyes widened. Shock over came her entirely and her rage faded into tears that began to well up in her eyes. This emotion was well known but not common for her to show.  
"YOU JACKASS! WHY CAN'T YOU THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK AND CONSIDER MY FEELINGS FOR ONCE IN YOUR PATHETIC LIFE"  
She screamed holding back tears. She pointed to the door and let out words that she would later regret.  
"GET OUT! JUST GET OUT"  
-  
No Reply -  
(Orchestra begins to play)  
Ginaki hobbled outside after 10 minutes of brooding. She goes to the gate of the village and watches as Kiba leaves. He turns back are looks at her. Her eyes were so cold, she just stared.

(Instruments come together in one note)  
Both turn around and walk in opposite directions. Neither turns around but both wonder whether the other is turning back.

Like the perfect ending It won't be long Till everything I've ruined has seen me gone In time, I pray you'll forgive Ginaki tightened her hand into a fist and bites her lower lip.

Now you know the man I am Can you forgive me?  
Kiba let's one tear slide down his cheek.

I fall Like the sands of time Like some broken rhyme At feet no longer there

If only I could call the rain to melt and wash away the pain you feel I would You gave yourself to me and showed me what the truth could be For that, I say thank you This was my life It never made much sense to me He stares into the darkness of the woods with thoughts of regret. Akamaru looked up at him trying to cheer him up. Being human was sometimes too much for Kiba. He remembered the good times with Ginaki. How they'd think of stupid things that were completely random and laugh hysterically.

With every lie that I lived Part of me would fade Into this empty shadow I've become And now I feel so numb I no longer know myself But I still know you Ginaki found herself back at her apartment. She opened her door and closed it behind her leaning her back against the door she let go of her keys and they hit the ground.  
She drew bath water and sat in her bathtub among to steam trying to clear her mind. She felt silence become like an refuge.  
Ginaki closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

I call And there is no reply Like some phantom cry On ears too far away

I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by The only thing I see is you For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side I say thank you Here lies my life It never felt that real to me She could remember the stupid faces Kiba would make when the silence neared awkward. Her favorite thing about him was her ability to laugh freely with him.

You'll always mean so much to me And there's no reply And there's no reply You'll never know how much you meant to me Kiba turned around. Something in his bones made him feel uncomfortable. Like something was about to go wrong. It wasn't the best vibes in the world, it was the worst.

And there's no reply And there's no reply You'll never know how much you meant to me Ginaki dressed and went outside, her hair was still wet and it was really cold. She turned away from the North shielding her face from the cool autumn wind that brushed her face and saw Orochimaru standing there. She looked at his arms. They were immobile again. She knew what this meant. She just hoped she wouldn't lose control.

If only I could call the rain to melt and wash away the pain you feel I would You gave yourself to me and showed me what the truth could be For that, I say thank you.  
Kiba heard something he feared most that he would hear next. A shrill scream and then a BOOM!. The earth beneath his feet quaked and began to feel unstable.  
"Ginaki. GINAKI!"

He leaped into the branches of the tallest trees and gazed over the others. Rising from the village was a beautiful fearsome and giant silver dragon. It reared it's head and let out a roar that would pierce an eardrum had he been within 200ft of it.

He ran towards the village with such speed that Akamaru could barely keep up with. His sole thought was to rescue Ginaki. "Please let her be alright. Please."

I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by The only thing I see is you For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side I say thank you Ginaki rose above the dragon, he could see her body be consumed in black. The hair that she let fall in front of her right eye was blown out of the way by the chakra induced wind. The eye that was usually blue turned dragon-like.

Ginaki heard her heart beat. Then nothing. Just darkness.

A voice, a deep voice that boomed from inside her spoke.  
"You've made a mistake. You should have listened to that dog while you still could. I'm not going to be sealed inside that pathetic excuse for a vessel any longer. You've lost. Tell Hikuma she didn't have a strong enough child."

Ginaki screamed but no noise came out of her mouth. Had someone set fire to her body? It felt like it but she was completely fine. She doubled over in pain and lay in the darkness. "Kiba...Help me."

Kiba stared at Ginaki. She turned to him and shot an arm out grabbing him by the neck. The dragon clutched it's heart, it was in pain. It opened one eye... One blue eye.

Orochimaru lay on the ground, completely still 50ft from them. Ginaki twisted her nails into Kiba's neck. He yelped in pain. This wasn't her.  
"Who are you?" He asked writhing in pain.  
"Ginryuu. The 'monster' that fool turned your beloved into. This is yours and his fault you know. Emotional stress makes her weak and brings my heart closer to hers. How about I explain this to you before you join her in Hell. That way you can discuss it over eternity in despair"  
Ginaki's body was inhabited by a dragon?

"You see, We shared body. I am dormant most of her life but when she is under emotional stress she becomes weak and our hearts merge. That fool Orochimaru decided to use her to strengthen his own arms which he foolishly lost the ability to use. So as she was under this stress our hearts became one and we switched. That ugly creature you see over there"  
She pointed to the dragon with blue eyes.  
"-is Ginaki, the dear beast which holds her heart and whom I now control"  
Kiba looked at the dragon, it was terrified. It's claws covered it's head a bit as it cowered. "Ginaki... "

You in my life It all meant so much more to be A tear rolled down the dragon's cheek. "Kiiiiiii-baaaaaaaaaa"  
It's voice spoke softly in a beast-like manner.  
'What has happened to you...'

((A/N: I'll leave you hanging off that cliff for a week. It'll all turn out OK, you know. Excuse my fan girly-ness but there needs to be little KibaxGinaki children running around. A girl and a boy. It's all your fault Ryoki, you poisoned me at Lunch that one day. That's all I could think of in gym! Was what their kids would look like! You're the Vodka to my Coke. Those would be some seriously weird kids though, folks. What with the Kiba eyes and the one gold eye. Not to mention the red striped-ies. DAMMNIT RYOKI! glomp Thanks.)) 


	7. Out of the Darkness

((Sorry I left you all hanging. I'm a lazy fu with incredible luck... Motion city soundtrack reference... I got Panic! In the disco's 'A fever you can't sweat out' tonight. It's hella good. So I decided with new music comes new writing. It's 4 am and I'm full of no talent! woo! Glad you all like the story. I love the comments guys, love 'em. By the way Ryoki... HELLSING! waves Alucard in your face MUWHAHAHHAAHAAA! I'm so evil)  
Darkness is absolute. Darkness is complete.

Darkness is.  
----------------------------

Ginaki awoke in darkness. The only thing around her she could see was a single full length gilded mirror that was in a spotlight about 50 feet away from her. She sat up clutching her head and wincing in pain. She no longer felt like she was on fire but was extremely sore. She looked around for something familiar, or something at all. Far away she could see a light coming towards her piercing the darkness. She rose up from the ground and walked to the mirror. She gazed into it with wide eyes. Her appearance was completely normal except for the two blue eyes staring back at her. Her right eye was no longer golden or dragon-like but absolutely normal. She smiled and admired her crystal blue right eye. But not for long as she noticed in the mirror that a small silver dragon began to wrap itself around her leg. She quickly looked down at her leg in a panic but saw no dragon. Only her mirror-self had that silver dragon.

The mirror Ginaki smiled back at the real one and turned around. Kiba was there with her mirror-self. He smiled and hugged her, they were older, but only by a decade. Then a third person showed up in the mirror that wasn't on her side. A small child with shoulder length brown hair, two red stripes on her face like Kiba's and the same eyes as Ginaki. Finally a fourth person tagging along with the small brown haired girl entered. He was the same age as the girl and looked around 4 or 5 years old. He resembled Kiba with the same eyes as him and the red stripes but had black hair. "This is..." Ginaki began; her voice was scratchy and quiet. "It's our family." A voice from behind her said. She recognized it immediately and wheeled around throwing her arms around Kiba.  
"Ginaki. Giii"  
She screamed and backed away from him bumping into the mirror and knocking it down. His voice was distorted and the glowing image of him began to change. The mirror hit the ground and shattered. She could hear the screams of the mirror family when the pieces scattered across the ground. "N-na-naaa-ki-ki-kiii" His voice was skipping like a record repeating her name in skips and jumps. He stumbled towards her with arms out stretched and a cold desperate look on his face. She backed up in panicky unstable backwards steps. It was like a nightmare or a bad acid trip or something. She tripped over a piece of the mirror's gilded frame and fell back. But instead of landing on the ground she began to fall. Slowly at first but soon she gained speed and fell fast into the darkness. She didn't scream but only outstretched an arm and grasped the air in hopes of someone to grab her hand. She watched at the light of the mirror and Kiba faded and she floated into nothingness.

"This is what happens when you lose yourself in your own soul, I guess. I didn't think things would spin out of control like this"  
She spoke softly in a hopeless monotone. Ginaki closed her eyes and embraced the dark feeling of falling and the cold blackness of the strange place she was in.  
-  
"Ginaki"  
Kiba gasped as Ginryuu in Ginaki's body tightened it's grip around his neck. Orochimaru was motionless on the ground and was probably close to dead. 'What the hell happened to make her freak out'  
The dragon thrashed on the ground with it's eyes closed tight. Something was happening to Ginaki and Kiba was unable to help again. 'This kinda sucks... yeah. It isn't getting me anywhere. Just waiting, it's going to get me killed'  
He slipped a kunai out of his pocket and stabbed Ginryuu's arm. Blood spilled onto the ground and Ginryuu recoiled letting go of Kiba's neck. "Bastard!" It hissed at him.  
"What're you waiting for? You've been standing here for 5 minutes doing nothing! Are you going to kill Ginaki and everyone else or what?" Kiba egged on the already furious dragon. 'What was it doing? It was just standing there with a cruel face on laughing maniacally'  
"If you're so interested in what I'm doing why don't you join Ginaki in her soul and you can both be tortured by the unending darkness?" She dragon shot back. Chakra wind encircled it and started to raise Ginryuu into the air.  
"Join her"  
The dragon screeched and Kiba felt himself be lifted into the air. He doubled over in pain. He felt like he was on fire... "Gladly, you bastard"  
-  
Ginaki stopped falling. She was suspended in air and still hopeless. "I'm sorry, Kiba. I'm not coming back..." How had something so small broken her will power?  
Why was she so hopeless when she was hardly past her breaking point?  
She opened her eyes. Something was different.  
Ginaki had changed into a dragon. "What next..." She sighed and floated around trying to find a way out. At least she had that going for her. She was mobile again.  
The sound of a dog's bark made her turn around. She could see a rather large brown dog running towards her. Under it's eyes it had red fur in two triangular stripes. 'Well if that's not a flashing red light I don't know what is.' She thought sarcastically. 'But this may be another nightmare mode thing so I won't keep my hopes up...' she rolled her eyes. 'I gotta keep strong! Strength'  
-  
Kiba smiled and ran faster. There was a dragon ahead... that had to be her. "Ginaki!" He shouted but it left his mouth as a bark. 'I'm drowning in symbolism...' He thought sarcastically. 'Grrrreeeeaaaaaat'  
He slowed down as he neared her. "Ginaki, are you alright?" 'Again with the barking'  
"Everything is alright," she replied "Oh, beside the whole nightmare mode. Which I'm not quite sure I'm out of but... you know"  
Kiba lifted an eyebrow.  
"Yeah, about that. What're you talking about"  
"Ah screw it. I'm blow'inthis Popsicle stand"  
"You know how to get out of here"  
"Well, no. But I'm working on it. Wait, why am I telling you this? You could be another distortion thing"  
"A what"  
"Ugh, never mind"  
"What happened to you and Orochimaru that made you like this"  
"That's a long story. You see... Orochimaru found this way to gain the use of his arms back and- don't get angry at this but- you have to use one human life... But there is another way that he was trying to teach me. I have to let Ginryuu take over my body and it's blood would heal his arms for good. So I"  
"WHAT? Hokage DIED because he was trying to stop Orochimaru from using jutsu's and you're undoing that? He'll massacre more people if you heal him"  
"But it didn't work Kiba! I know it wasn't right but I could become a better ninja if I learned jutsus from him and"  
"Bull! He'd make you kill people"  
"WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME"  
"...Gi"  
"No. No more "Ginaki's". I know what I was doing was wrong but I began to summon Ginryuu anyway and it spun out of control. I'm not as strong as my mother so he took over. Because I was weak." Ginaki and Kiba's feud ended with her sitting down in normal form again hugging her legs to her chest with a guilty look to her face. "I'm going to have to stop this heart; that's what Orochimaru said, and frankly that's who I'm going to listen to." She pulled a kunai out of her pocket. "Sorry." She shakily turned it on herself and stabbed herself. She choked at first but then opened the wound and ripped at her heart. "Damn Dragon. When I get my hands on it..." Blood gushed from her wound. The only way she could still be alive was if... This was the dragon's heart. A swift pull and Ginaki held the beating heart in her hand. "This is seriously sick." She said tossing it away. The blackness began to fade into light; the sounds and sights of the village hidden in Sound began to appear around them. Ginaki stared at her arm which was has stopped bleeding and her the whole where she had ripped out the dragon's heart was non existent. Her skin color was normal once more and her eyes were their normal gold and blue.  
-  
"That was so effed up." Kiba said looking around. Ginaki looked over at Orochimaru and choked back tears. "Kiba," she spoke in a quiet fearful tone "I think I... killed him"  
She let her hair fall over her face completely and let a tear slide down her face. "Stop crying, I'm not dead." the drawling bleak voice of her Uncle sounded in the cold silence. She looked up and the wind blew back her hair. Her eyes were already red from crying and she didn't look too happy to hear his response. "THEN WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING!" She stood up and stomped over to him lying on the ground. He was staring straight into the sky bored and bloody. "What? Gonna kick me when I'm down?" He said cruelly joking with her. "DAMN RIGHT YOU BASTARD!" she shouted and rose her foot to stomp on his stomach. Before she let her foot fall she looked him in the eye and said "Get your pale ass up." he opened his mouth to speak but before a sound left his mouth she shouted "DO IT!" Fire in her eyes glared at Orochimaru as she shouted even though her voice was hoarse.

Kiba snickered in the background and without looking at him she threw a kunai straight past him. It flew uncomfortably close to Kiba's face, and would have hit him had she wanted it to. "Shut your mouth. BOTH OF YOU." She smiled and as Orochimaru got up she glanced at him angrily. "You can't use your arms anymore. That's a blessing not a curse. If you begin killing people again I swear on the Hokage's graves I'll hunt you down. C'mon Kiba. We're going... Send me my things later, Orochimaru. Good bye." she turned her back to him and they left.

((Oh my Lord was this a long time ago. I truly am a lazy bastard. I mean, I was still in school when I wrote the top message. Me oh my. Well, it's only going to get more sarcastic, stupid and sappy. So let's start the next chapter.)) 


	8. Returning Home

They returned to Konoha a couple days later. Ginaki had been rather silent the whole time and expressed her feelings in actions more than words. She played fetch with Akamaru a couple times and smiled at Kiba but when they walked she'd stare off and seem to be deep in thought.

The gates of Konoha opened and they entered. A gathering of other ninja were at in a circle there to welcome them. "The welcoming committee..." Ginaki said laughing. "OI! GI-CHAAAAAAAN!" A female voice called from the crowd. Out stepped a ninja who was almost the complete opposite of Ginaki. She wore blue open toed sandals, blue jeans with rips on both knees and straps for her kunai, and a satchel of something, accompanied by green suspenders, a white midriff shirt with the Konoha leaf on it, and two sleeves that ran from her wrists to just above her elbow, and finally glasses and her headband. Wheat yellow beaming eyes that intensely gleamed with welcome and long gold hair that blew softly in the breeze. Ginaki turned away looking annoyed and embarrassed. "Oh, for the love the Hokage, Kazeki... Shut up." She muttered and rolled her eyes. A cloud of dust followed her as Kazeki ran towards the two. "Ginaki, YOU IDIOT!" Kiba's team and the other teams welcomed them as Kazeki beat up Ginaki and they had a friendly fight. Unfortunately... Naruto was one of them.

"Welcome back Kiba-kun." Hinata smiled sweetly at him while Shino gave him an acknowledging glance from behind his glasses. "Welcome back." Kiba nodded and smirked, "Sorry I left but I couldn't leave Ginaki there, right?" Kiba replied. "I didn't think you were coming back, Kiba!" Naruto shouted "Didn't think you would be able to kick Orochimaru's ass, you're so weak!" Kiba cringed. "Naruto, do you ever shut your mouth?" Ginaki smiled at Naruto and leaned over and whispered, "You're right though Naruto-kun!" Kiba stood on his toes to make himself taller and tower over Ginaki. "Giiiiinaaaaaakkiiiiiiii!" He deepened his voice angrily; Ginaki laughed light heartedly and before Kiba could react she punched at him. Kazeki pulled Ginaki back into a battle before she hit Kiba, luckily.

A happy reunion that lasted for what felt like forever. Evening neared and they parted ways. Kazeki waved goodbye finally leaving Kiba and Ginaki alone once again. With the exception of Akamaru who was settled happily in Ginaki's arms almost asleep. Despite their first impressions on each other Ginaki and Akamaru had become quite close. Kiba was sure relieved for that and they began to walk home. But before they got home, there was "Good news" for the citizens of Konoha. 


	9. No One Mourns the Wicked

((Wicked love I do not own This song, it goes to it's respective owner. I changed around some words to fit the Naruto universe. Thanks lovelies! No one mourns the Wicked from the Original Cast Recording of Wicked and at the end some of the song No Good Deed.))

CITIZENS OF KONOHA: Good news! He's dead!  
The Otokage is dead!  
The Evilest Kage there ever was The enemy of all of us here in Konoha Is Dead!  
Good news!  
Good news!  
:A parade is in full bloom in the streets throughout the city. Konoha is in a complete uproar as Ginaki and Kiba stumble though:

SOMEONE IN THE CROWD:  
(spoken) Look! It's Tsunade!

:Tsunade stands on a elevated stage looking out over the central of the city:  
TSUNADE (spoken) Fellow Konohians:  
(sung) Let us be glad Let us be grateful Let us rejoicify that goodness could subdue The wicked workings of you-know-who Isn't it nice to know That good will conquer evil?  
The truth we all believe'll by and by Outlive a lie For you and -

SOMEONE IN THE CROWD:  
No one mourns the Wicked

ANOTHER PERSON:  
No one cries "They won't return!"

ALL:  
No one lays a lily on their grave

MAN:  
The good man scorns the Wicked!

WOMEN:  
Through their lives, our children learn

ALL:  
What we miss, when we misbehave:

:Ginaki looks at the people around her in confusion then turns to Tsunade:

TSUNADE And Goodness knows The Wicked's lives are lonely Goodness knows The Wicked die alone It just shows when you're Wicked You're left only On your own

ALL Yes, Goodness knows The Wicked's lives are lonely Goodness knows The Wicked cry alone Nothing grows for the Wicked They reap only What they've sown

TSUNADE (spoken) Are people born Wicked? Or do they have Wickedness thrust upon them? After all, he had a father. He had a mother, as so many do:  
-  
There sitting with arms crossed was a particular pale boy, one that had a strange likelihood to a snake. Tears streamed down the 5 year olds white cheeks, and alone he sat while his mother swooned and obsessed over her youngest child, Hikuma. Contemplating his worth, wondering why he and only he was unwanted. Around him in Konoha was all of the local boys his age. Their father's and mother's proud of their smallest achievement would smile and give them attention while he was ignored and even hated.

Age 10 Mother has died. She spent her time with him in hate and despair, with Hikuma she was proud and encouraging. Again tears streamed down a child's face but not his face. Hikuma cried and sobbed in sorrow while looking upon the grave Orochimaru stared with a smug look on his face. He was glad that she died. He and Hikuma had no father to speak of, because their father was a criminal and a trickster who left after Hikuma's birth to 'collect his thoughts'; Or to move on in his life and have another wife and children.

Age 11 Is it his fault? He wondered while training his sister. She eagerly learned and respected his knowledge of the shinobi way. Her heart, unlike her mothers, was a good one. She felt guilt for being the favorite and showed her brother the love his mother never gave him. His family blamed him for his difference, however. He would get his revenge. Hikuma who had always loved him... He would protect her. He smiled at her and only she could bring him happiness. "To anyone who hurts my dear sister I pity them, for that will be the last time they hurt her. Ever."

Age 18 Hikuma is a promising ninja, She's succeeded where he has failed and he is proud. At an early age she becomes a Chunin and has developed many powerful jutsu. Awaking in a cold sweat Orochimaru sits up and thinks in the silent night on his dream. He knows how she will die and when. Too soon. His reason to believe his dream will come true? He had seen how his mother died and where and when, he could see the death of his family members in dreams. His curse, his family's curse was beginning to take hold. Wickedness was beginning to fill him.

Age 39 No good deed goes unpunished... It seems in an attempt to save my sisters life from that damn Kyubi I have killed her and her husband. Sure I meant well, well look at what well meant did. He still had a niece who, even though she was still an infant, seemed to be just like her mother. He would raise her himself but... Konoha had it wrong and he had to leave. The deaths of those people were not his fault and although he took the blame he was misunderstood. To live forever? No, to save his sister. He wanted her to live forever, and only wanted death for himself. But someone in his family, perhaps Ginaki would live forever. Was wickedness thrust upon him?  
Alright Konoha, so be it. So be it then, let all Konoha be agreed I'm wicked through and through. Since I cannot succeed Hikuma saving you. I promise no good deed will I attempt to again. Ever again.

Age 54 Bloody from battle with Ginaki and on the ground he looked up at her. Coldness and fire tainted her eyes, "Good bye." Her final words to him. He stared as she left through the arch of the Sound village entrance. "The last time I see her, she screams in my face." said the pale snake-like man. He chuckled, "Yes, good bye Ginaki. I wish you and your finance well."

No one mourns the Wicked.  
-  
"He's dead. Yes, the "wicked Otokage" Orochimaru is dead"  
Tsunade stood before Ginaki at the kotatsu quietly. "It's my fault. He died because I couldn't help him switch bodies. Is Sasuke taking over the Sound village? Or is he coming back?" Ginaki asked, she had spoken to Sasuke on many occasions in the Sound village and wondered what would become of him. "I'm not sure, technically you are the heir to the village but I'm not sure. We'll find out." Tsunade stared at the mourning teenager. "I guess it's good he's gone. They said he's... wicked." Ginaki looked over at her and laughed. First it was a little chuckle and then morphed into a loud boisterous guffaw. "You have no idea!" Ginaki gasped wiping a tear from her eye, she'd laughed herself into a cry. "What do you mean?" Tsunade asked. "What I mean is," Ginaki suppressed a laugh "you were... The only person he and I quote '-ever could love. Even if she does not love me back. I must have shattered that after those silly death accusations.'" Ginaki had let the cat out of the bag. Tsunade just stared blankly. "Wh-what?" she paused, "Ginaki-chan, you can leave now." It would be best to leave Tsunade to her grieving. Jiraiya who was waiting outside spoke just as Ginaki opened the door and stepped outside. "Jiraiya-sama." Ginaki nodded to him politely and left.  
Once she was home she curled up on her bed and took a deep breath. All of her things smelled so familiar and comforting. But as the dark of night set in and the moon rose and shone though her limp curtains Ginaki felt emptiness take over. The parties had died down and everyone was about to settle down for bed. Kiba entered her apartment and flicked on some lights. She opened one eye and peered out into the kitchen area. He glanced over at her, "Are you alright?" He turned off the lights in the kitchen and sat down on the bed next to her. She lifted herself up and place her arms around him, he was another comforting aspect. She closed her eyes again and drifted into a dreamless sleep. "It'll be alright..."

((Hmm hmm! I always wanted to kill off a character. If you listen to Wicked, you can pull some serious connections out of there between Orochimaru and Elphaba. I portrayed Oro-kun as a sweeter person like the Wicked witch is in Wicked. Well, three chapters is enough for this year. XD I'll probably update after Color Guard season or something. So don't expect anything soon.)) 


End file.
